Battery Pack Vent Shield Channels for Safer Cell Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing traction battery packs face challenges in effectively communicating vent byproducts from battery cells to an area outside the battery pack, which can lead to potential safety issues and reduced operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack venting system is introduced, featuring a shield with a recess to receive vent byproducts from battery cells, redirecting them into channels within structural members, and ultimately communicating these byproducts outside the battery pack enclosure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vent byproducts are directly discharged from battery cells without redirection, then the venting process is simple and quick, but critical components are exposed to harmful vent byproducts and safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
A shield with a recess is positioned between the battery cells and critical components to intercept vent byproducts. The recess receives the discharged vent byproducts and redirects them into channels of structural members, preventing direct contact with critical components while maintaining a relatively simple overall system architecture.
2Productivity
If vent byproducts are quickly exhausted from the battery pack, then operational efficiency is improved, but the redirection path increases the time required for byproducts to exit the system
Solution Approach 1:
The shield extends longitudinally along a shield axis that is transverse to both the cell stack axis and the structural member axis, creating a three-dimensional redirection path. This multi-directional approach allows vent byproducts to be efficiently channeled through structural members while maintaining compact packaging within the battery pack enclosure.
3Reliability
If the shield is positioned to effectively redirect vent byproducts, then safety is improved, but the shield may interfere with other components such as control modules
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is configured with asymmetric positioning and geometry, extending to overlap openings in structural members while being positioned to redirect vent byproducts away from critical components. The shield may include notches or openings specifically designed to accommodate wiring or other components, allowing effective venting protection while maintaining compatibility with other battery pack components.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack venting system includes a battery pack enclosure providing an interior, and a cell stack within the interior. The cell stack includes one or more battery cells disposed along a cell stack axis. One or more structural members are disposed within the interior alongside an axial end portion of the cell stack. Each structural member including at least one channel. A shield is within the interior. The shield has a recess configured to receive vent byproducts released from the one or more battery cells. The shield is configured to redirect the vent byproducts into the at least one channel.